KB's KETO Diet Study

[KBDelight]

Hello Everyone. I have just begun a study on the Keto Diet and will be logging my progress here.

The primary purpose of this research is to characterize the keto-adapted state in a group of healthy volunteers with an emphasis on health, metabolic, performance, and military relevant outcomes. This will be a 12 week feeding and training study with pre- and post-testing battery.

Pre-Testing
Baseline Testing
Anthropometrics
Metabolic Rate
Body Composition
Cognitive Baseline
Cardiopulmonary Function/Performance
MRI Fat Quantification
Cognitive, Anaerobic, &
Military Relevant Performance

The study will test both Exercise and Cognitive change
Coaching and guidance to be provided by Registered Dietitians
Self Report Food Record
Daily Blood Ketone Monitoring

The Objectives are:

1. Determine metabolic and physiologic adaptations in energy metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation and endocrine function at rest and during exercise.
2. Assess changes in several aspects of physical performance including aerobic capacity, anaerobic power, strength, force production, body composition and military-specific fitness testing.
3. Assess cognitive functioning (reaction time, decision making and higher order thinking) at rest and in response to sleep deprivation and physical exertion.

Highlights of the 12 week keto study

1. Muscle Biopsy 2x pre and post
2. Blood Draws associated with test session 3 - 2x pre and post
3. MRI Screening – must be MRI safe candidate
4. 3 month commitment – 30hrs training + 16hrs testing
5. Consume only minimal alcohol
6. Glucose and/or Ketone Monitoring Daily

I have completed my baseline tests and will be posting my progress here with the intent of sharing my journey and getting your advise as I go. Wish me luck.

[KBDelight]

Here are some results of my initial testing: (some of the other tests take longer to get results for or can only be useful when compared to the final tests)

Fasted initial blood work, Squat (255lbs) and Bench 1RM (215lbs), Power Jump test, the Hi-Trainer (ass-kicker that one is) with cognitive tests in between, a timed obstacle course with some cognitive work, followed by several more rounds of blood work.

Fasted Resting Metabolic Rate (around 2000 cals), Body Fat composition (around 27%) thru Dexascan and a cognitive test (ANAM).
Calorie Range: 2900-3100 kcals
Protein Range: 82-137g
Fat Range: 250-280g
Carbs Range: 25-40g
Net Carbs: Under 20g

Day 1 Blood Tests:
Ketones: .3
Blood Glucose: 82
Macros
Cals: 1734 cal
Net Carbs: 12g
Fat: 134g
Protein: 121g

Day 2 Blood Tests:
Ketones: .3
Blood Glucose: 76
Macros
Cals: 2598 cals
Net Carbs: 19g
Fat: 232g
Protein: 100g

Day 3 Blood Tests:
Ketones: .6
Blood Glucose: 69
Macros
Cals: 2629 cals
Net Carbs: 19g
Fat: 234g
Protein: 106g

Day 4 Blood Tests:
Ketones: .5
Blood Glucose: 72
Macros
Cals: 3120 cals
Net Carbs: 17g
Fat: 251g
Protein: 130g

Yesterday’s Stats will follow in the next post similar to the way I’ll post from here on out now that I got caught up.

[KBDelight]

21MAY17 Diet and Test Results (well until I’m no longer a new user - only 1 picture a post)
Here is my diet for yesterday:

and the Blood Test results and macro breakdown:
Ketones: .9
Blood Glucose: 78
Macros
Cals: 2651 cals
Net Carbs: 7g
Fat: 225g
Protein: 111g

[richard]

Sounds fascinating … especially testing cognition after 12 weeks.

[KBDelight]

I’ll be tracking my diet and workouts here. With the trainers it’s Monday and Thursday mornings. I’m also training for a 100-mile bike ride to support cancer research. pelotonia.org/KBFightsCancer and I’ll post that training.

I’m curios to see how going Keto will affect my stamina on such an adventure. Anyone else have experience with long distance cardio while on the Keto diet?

[JasonCordier]

Are you on Research Gate? If so, please let me know and I would love to follow you there as well as your updates here. Exciting stuff!

[KBDelight]

Jason - I am not… I am not the one conducting the research, just partaking in and sharing my experience with it. I’m going to stick to updating here and bodybuilding.com (since that’s where I originally started until I found this forum… I had tried ruled.me but the forums there are not very active.

[Becky]

Are your daily ketone and glucose #s taken once a day? In the morning?

[KBDelight]

Yes - each day in the morning via a blood test.

[Bahrutile]

this is what really fascinates me about Keto, not just the ability to become healthy, also to push the limits of endurance… I will be following along for the progress and the results!!!

right now I feel most people view Keto (as far as people in my life outside of this forum) as a way to lose weight, not something one would continue to do after the weight is gone… I’m in the first state of this, losing weight… I am hoping that after I have reached my goal weight I will be able to be just as active if not more so to show that it is sustainable in the long run… these studies go a long way with that validation!

[KBDelight]

Good Morning. Here is my update with yesterday’s diet and this mornings blood test. I am very excited to show you my Keto levels from this morning.

21MAY17 Diet

Macros

Ketones (YAY!)

Blood Glucose

In addition - I did repeat of my baseline strength Tests.
1RM Squat Increased from 250 to 260lbs
1RM Bench Stayed the same at 215lbs

[jamestorie]

Yeah, I love it when someone ask me if I’m going to eat this way the rest of my life. I say yes, why in the world would I do anything else? Oh, and the question, what are you going to do when you reach your goal? My answer, eat more FAT!

[KBDelight]

Good Morning - Yesterday afternoon kicked me with the Keto Flu slightly for the first time and I’m still suffering a bit from it today. It’s not demotivating in anyway, since I knew it’d eventually come - just annoying.

Here are my results for today. I also have a planned group bike ride this evening. I’ll update some stats from that tomorrow.

Diet

Macros

Ketones

Blood Glucose

[JasonCordier]

Look forward to seeing progress. I was not getting notification of a post here, so will figure that after my run.

[KBDelight]

Good Morning.

So interesting thing from last night and this morning that maybe someone can shed some light on. I did a 31.44 ride yesterday at 4:15 pace (2:14:05)(14.1 mpg) Slowest mile was 5:55 and the fastest was mile 21 at 3:28. This was my longest ride this year (previous being 8 miles - not much experience) and I faded quickly around mile 25. I contribute most of that to my lack of training at distance and a small portion to my still adapting to Keto.

After the Ride, my Blood Glucose was at 56 and my Ketones were at 5.2. I’ve read that is fairly common after a long endurance type cardio, but what was perplexing was that this morning, my Ketones were at 5.1 still. Thoughts?

Anywho, here are my stats from the last 24 hours.

Diet

Macros

Blood Glucose

Ketones

[JasonCordier]

Hi KB, do you have a heart rate monitor by any chance, and if so did you record your heart rate? As speeds are subjective to ones conditioning, what was you perceived effort from 1-10? I am thinking that you kept your heart rate in a good low zone, which employed mainly Type I slow twitch muscles. These can pretty much run on FFA, and they draw greater amounts from apoptoses tissue. So more FFA in your blood, already in ketosis… greater ketone release. Also slowly drawing down on muscle glycogen for limited Type IIa recruitment without stressing the body so much as to have the liver make glucose. Go a little harder. and you start using fast twitch Type IIa and b more, in that order. The former uses FFA and ATP, while the later only ATP. So, If I had to guess, you hit the sweet spot. I find when I train, if I keep heart rate down below 150, and ideally 140, for periods of exercise that exceed 1.5 hours, my blood glucose drops rapidly, and my ketones jump up. Yours is pretty good, but take the win. They tend to remain the remain for me through the night as long as I don’t eat to much. Interested to see you metrics another day later. Cheers. J

[KBDelight]

Thanks Jason - I didnt use a heart rate monitor - just my fitbit blaze (which we all know is more for a general idea of HR vs a true) The HR AVG recorded on the Blaze had my average at 133 bpm.

[eggplantparm]

whats a good range for blood ketone reading on that meter?

[KBDelight]

I should be looking at between a 1.2 and 3 is where they want me… taking these readings each morning before fasted.

[KetoLikeaLady]

I find after a long endurance cardio session (riding for me too), my ketones stay elevated throughout the next day. I believe it’s due to using up all your glycogen stores.
Can I ask - how much do you weigh now, and what’s your BF%? The highest I’ve gotten my ketones (even after a brutal 3 hour ride with lots of climbing) was in the high 2’s! Fasting usually brings me up to the mid 1’s, but my usual readings are under 1.0.